They’ve undoubtedly dubbed 2009 the band’s most productive year yet. Halloween saw the release of their energetic, powerful and sharply produced new self-titled album and finally this December the Gold Coast’s prestigious and tireless band MOURNING TIDE are embarking on the highly anticipated Schools Out for Summer Tour. Dynamic lead guitarist Vin Steel, who originally from a young age aspired to be a drummer, shares with us some insight to the band’s most significant year on record.

Mourning Tide’s new self-titled album was mixed by esteemed US producer Steve Evettes, who has worked with big-name metal/alternative bands like Every Time I Die, Story of the Year and even The Cure. “It was killer! He was our number one choice to mix, so when he said he’d do it we were all stoked,” Steel remembers excitedly. “So two of us flew over, myself and Dale, we got to work with Steve a few weeks mixing. Then we flew across to New York to work with Alan Douches. So yeah, that trip was killer.” He continues, saying “it was great being there, seeing how A-game guys work.”

The album was mastered by well-noted engineer Alan Douches, who has mastered for bands including Mastodon and the Misfits. It turned out an energising and aggressive album, with razor-sharp production that is still able to bring out the band’s original raw and intense sound. “I’m pretty stoked, I don’t think you’ll ever get it exactly how you all envisioned it, but it’s pretty close to how we all wanted it.”

Spectacularly mixed and produced, Steel feels that their new self-titled has taken a major leap up from their previous album Trash ‘n’ Burn, which claimed a spot in Blunt Magazine’s Top 100 Albums of 2006. “Trash ‘n’ Burn was much more of a composition of hardcore and metal, a bit more of a mish-mash, whereas this one is more unified. It’s more streamline and I think it’s more us. The other one was sort of testing. We were trying things, testing the water with certain sounds,” he claims. “I really feel like with our new self-titled, we’ve really kicked into our sound.”

Mourning Tide’s upcoming gig at the Weston Creek Community Centre will bring Canberran fans their first opportunity to hear the band’s spectacular new material live. The band will be touring nationally this month with Deez Nuts, Ghost Inside and Mark My Words on the 2009 Schools Out for Summer Tour, giving us a brutal close to this year’s Canberra metal/hardcore scene. This being Mourning Tide’s first gig in Canberra since Myfest all the way back in 2008, Steel assures “we’ve definitely stepped it up since the last time. I think you’ll see us in good form and rocking some new material.” He announces, “so we hope to see you all there and ready to rock.”

You can catch Mourning Tide at the Weston Creek Community Centre on Saturday December 19. Tickets through Moshtix.